Padding



E. J. CARROLL PADDING Filed Sept. 13, 1923 v 2 Sheets-Shaev 1 I/IIIIIII A TTOR NE J15" Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,975

E. .J. CARROLL PADDING Filed Sept. 13, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I M m MW. 12m

Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED ,STATES' 1,608,975 PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL J'i CARROLL, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OIIIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

. ,PADDING.

Application filed September 13, 1923. Serial No. 662,538.

This invention relates to improvements in flat work ironing machines.

The objects of this invention are to provide an ironing member with resilient means inserted therein, the inserts being of such material as to afford a sufficiently hard surface to effectively engage the work and maintain its form, yet sufiiciently resilient to automatically adapt itself to the irregularities in the work; to provide an ironing member with resilient means inserted therein in spaced relation. and so arranged as to afford an effective surface for engaging the work; to provide such an ironing member in which inserts of cork or other resilient material are provided, such inserts being arranged in sufficiently close proximity to afford an effective surface for engaging the work; and more particularly to provide an 2 ironing roll in which resilient members are inserted in the surface of the roll body so as to render the same effective and highly eflioient in the several particulars above mentioned.

Further objects of the invention will appear' from the following description and claims when considered together with the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of a single roll flat Work ironer embodying my present improvement; Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken on lines 22, 33, respectively of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a projected plan view of a portion of my improved ironing roll; Fig. 5 is a partial cross sectional View of the ironing roll Fig. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the ironing roll; Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views illustrating the manner of applying the cork inserts to the ironing roll; Fig. 10 illustrates a modified form in a view similar to Fig. 5 and in which coil springs are inserted in the roll instead of corks; Fig. 11 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of a still further modification in which corks are secured to the ironing roll; and Fig. 12 is a view taken on line 12-12 of Fig. 11; Figs 13 and 14 are partial transverse and longitudinal views of a form in which the cork inserts have dovetail engageso ment with the roll.

If, in an ironing machine of this type, only fiat work like table cloths, napkins, etc. were to be ironed, an ironing roll of hard material which is proof against rusting would be ideal w for such a. purpose, that is without any covering whatever. But in order to iron other classes of flat work with seams and buttons and other irregularities, as well as the plain class of work just referred to, the roll has been universally covered, as for instance with layers of burlap. felt, cotton padding and Atlas cloth. Such a covering has'been depended upon to accommodate itself to irregularities in the thickness of the work, such as buttons and seams. After a time however, such covering becomes saturated with condensed steam and sooner or later hardens and deteriorates and requires to be renewed. This, of course, involves a great deal of expense and labor as well as loss of time.

. The present invention, as above briefly out-, lined, is therefore aimed to improve these conditions by providing the ironing roll with an ironing surface which is sufficiently resilient to accommodate itself to the irregularities in the surface of t-he-work and is free from any tendency to pack down and therefore does not require frequent renewing of the covering as in the old practice. In the form of machine embodying my present improi'ement as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the ironing roll is shown in use with the heated ironing chest-,1 and comprises the roll member2 which is mounted in the frame of the machine for rotation by means of any well known driving mechanism.

The roll in this particular case has its outer surface formed with a plurality of recesses 3 which are adapted to receive the small ends of ordinary bottle corks or stoppers 4. These corks are so arranged as to afford space, therebetween for the passage of moisture and live steam. As illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, these corks are simply inserted by frictional engagement in the openings 3 and the upper surfaces of the same are then finished off and smothed down so as to provide an efficient curved ironing surface as illustrated in Fig. 9. Then these inserts mayor may not be covered with asbestos cloth which is heat resisting and which when so used forms what might be considered a chamber between the asbestos covering and the roll itself, this chamber or space extending between the corks. The asbestos cloth is used merely to decrease the friction of the roll when running idle. The asbestos cloth extends at its ends so as to cover the ends or heads 5 and 6 of the roll. The head 5 has suitable pipe connections with a suction pump 7, the pipe 5 and spring inserts, they will immediately re connections being-illustrated at 8, 9, 10, and 11, which last named conduits or connections open through the small apertures 12 into the chamber space between the asbestos covering and the ironing roll. The head 6 is likewise provided with small openings 13 to permit removal of moisture through these passages by means ofpump 7.- This pump is driven by a suitable motor. I The openings 14 in the bottom of the recess 3 ermit escape of air upon insertion of the coris.

This form of device has proved highly efficient especially since the use of" cork is particularly well adapted for this purpose.

Whatever moisture is taken up by the corks has been found to render the same still more resilient than in their dry state and conseuently the responsiveness of the corks to t e pressure of the roll upon the irre ular surfaces of the work is increased and the roll itself considered as a whole is rendered more efficient. Furthermore, the tough character of cork renders such an ironing surface of practically permanent form and its resiliency is equally permanent. It is to be understood that other materials'similar to cork may be used in the same manner as here set forth, as for instance, rubber or coil metal springs.

Fig. 10 illustrates the use of coil metal springs15 which are inserted in the same recesses 3 but without the apertures 14 which are of course unnecessary. The upper ends of the springs are first covered with a wire mesh 16 and then with asbestos cloth 17. In

this case, as in the case where cork inserts are used, 'the individual springs are responsive to the local irregularities in the surface of the work with the result that any such small irre arity, as for instance a button on the wor will cause a depression of the spring or cork insert at that particular point and will not affect the rest of the ironing surface.

. Then, because of the resiliency of the cork turn to normal conditlon when the pressure is relieved.

' In Figs. 11 and. 12 the corks are'of different form and arefset down in a depression formed about the outer surface of the roll.

Grooves 18 are providedto receive the corks which are mounted longitudinally upon the rods 19, the ends of these rods being secured in the up-standing flanges 18 at the ends of the roll. The several series or rings of corks are spaced by means of wires 20 which extend about the roll between the corks. form of device may be used either with or without an asbestos covering, the surfaces of the corks being finished off so asto take on a general curvature corresponding to that of an ironing roll. The spaces provided between the corks will permit also the removal of steam and moisture in the same manner as illustrated in connection with Fig. 1.

In Figs. 13 and 14 the square cork blocks 21 are slid into the dovetail grooves formed in the roll and are given a spaced relation as shown. cutting the cork inserts of proper size and the spaces 23 may be formed by wires or rods 24. The faces of these inserts are curved according to the curvature of the roll.

What I claim is 1. A padded member for an ironing. ma-

The spaces 22 are preserved by- This chine, comprising a hollow metal body provided with a series of closely spaced recesses, and solid, resilient inserts secured in and substantially filling said recesses and projecting outwardly therefrom the surfaces of the projecting portions of said inserts being in the same general plane and being sulfi- .ciently close together to conjointly form a uniformly yielding ironing surface, and a fabric coverin therefor.

2. A padde member for an ironing machine, comprising a hollow metal body provided with a series of closely spaced recesses,

,and cork inserts having their lower portions compressed and thereby secured in said recesses and their upper ortions projecting outwardly therefrom, tie surfaces of the projecting portions of said inserts being in the same general plane and being sufliciently close together to conjointly form a uniformly yielding ironing surface, and a fabric covering therefor.

.- In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

: EMIL J. CARROLL. 

